Click if you dare > How the body ages

 

I dared. You're correct. It depressed me well! Just don't click on anything and it won't hurt so much.

 

This webpage from MSN is nonsense...I really don't like people persuading themselves that their age is an obstacle to a full life. People take it too easy on them selves and think that just because they are getting older, they have to lose physical fitness. When I was in my thirties, I golfed and got pretty good at it. But I also got up to almost 185 lbs. by the time I was forty. It got to the point that I couldn't easily walk 18 holes.

When I was in high school and college, I ran track but lost the desire to run when I got into law school. I decided that I wasn't going to let age get to me. I started running, then entered road races. After a year, from virtually no running at all, I completed my first marathon. Now I don't run marathons anymore, but I do compete in about 10 to 12 triathlons a year. I train about 10 to 15 hours a week and weigh about 165-170 on a 5'10' frame. Now I will admit that I can't run as fast as I used to...I have gone from a 6 minute mile to a 6:30 mile in the last few years. But over the long run...half marathon distance...I am faster than I was in my early forties. I can still get a bicycle to over 40 miles an hour on the flats in a sprint. And I can still swim 7 miles a week. Now I am not an exceptional person...but I work at fitness...and good fitness is attainable for the vast majority of people, even Vintage S2000 owners, who if anything have a more youthfull outlook than their contemporaries.

I see lots of people in their forties turn their bodies around. One of the most inspirational things I ever saw was a 60 year old woman who was competing in her first triathlon. I also saw during my first Half-Iron distance triathlon a guy competing with only one leg. If these people can overcome the hands of time or disabilities, then almost anyone else can. However, I see fewer and fewer people in America--young, old or middle-aged--who are willing to suffer enough to make a difference in their bodies.

Just my two cents...but I am not getting depressed about getting older in the least. Sorry if I am ranting...and I am not directing my comments at anyone in particular...but more at the mindset that says because we are getting older we have limits to our lives.

We all will age, but the real issue is how do we deal with it.

 

And I'll fight much of it kicking and screaming, every day; after I have a hot shower and a couple of Advil to ease the morning aches and pains.

 

I agree. I am 65 and I cycled 40 miles this morning then came home and detailed my car. I bike with a group of "older" cyclists at the beach and one guy is 77 and can keep up with guys 1/2 his age. People cant believe I am 65 and my wife who exercises and bikes, although, not as faras I do, is 61. I plan to compete in the upcoming senior olympic cycling trials this fall and when I checked the times of last years cyclists in my age group they were averaging over 30 MPH in the 5K and 10K time trials. BTW a 6:30 mile is very impressive. Like the commercial says "Just Do It"

 

[QUOTE=S2KRAY,Jun 29 2008, 04:51 PM] I agree.

 

More doom and gloom hyped by the media. Some of the other posts here were refreshing to read. Although I no longer practice what they are preaching I agree that excercise is a wonderful thing at any age.

If one listens to the media one would think that the economy is absolutely in the toilet and there is doom and gloom at every level of the economy. I for one was amazed at the beginning of June when I was in Las Vegas for a business trip. Tuesday through Thursday the casino's, restaurants and the strip were busy. On Friday night one could hardly walk down the strip or through any of the casinos it was so crowded. A co-worker was out there for a week the week before and experienced the same thing. What recession???

The week of the 9th of June I was in Honolulu. My flight out did not have an empty seat. (Granted the airlines are flying less flights and the ones that remain are packed). The weak dollar is more evident in Honolulu where there are a lot more Japanese and European tourist. But again Kalakaua Blvd (AKA Rodeo Drive West) is jammed with people.

I really believe that the media just loves to deliver bad news all the time. Pretty soon people start to believe anything that they hear over and over and over again. I for one am going to take my inspiration from Peter Finch from the movie "Network". "I am mad as Hell and I am NOT going to take this anymore"

 

Very impressive regimen, triman and Ray! I'm not reading the article. I feel great, although I need to ramp up my exercise.

 

Most impressive! That is remarkable!

What bicycle do you recommend for a Triathlon novice?

I run and swim but I only have a hybrid bicycle, not Triathlon bike. I am interested in trying this out but I have no clue as to what kind of bicycle I should get. I don't want to buy an expensive bicycle but something to try and see if that is what I like to do on regular basis.

 

[QUOTE=Honda 367,Jun 30 2008, 04:59 AM] Most impressive!